This invention relates to a scalable and server-less solution to build Virtual Private LAN Segments (VPLS) based on a multicast enabled IP backbone and more particularly to a Multicast-Enabled Address Resolution Protocol (ME-ARP).
The popularity of the Internet is driving requirements for secure and segregated IP interconnection of remote sites. One solution is to use the underlying network supporting virtual connections i.e. Frame Relay or ATM. These virtual connections can be separated by provisioning to form a Virtual Private Network which is Layer 3 protocol transparent. However if the underlying network is IP itself, as is the case with the Internet then IP tunnels can be used to interconnect two or more sites. Any other known layer 2 VPN (Virtual Private Network) solution used in the prior art requires a centralized server where all CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) and IP devices have to be statically or dynamically registered, like LANE (Local-Area-Network Emulation), NHRP (Next-Hop-Routing-Protocol) or Classical IP.
A need exists for building IP based virtual private LAN segments (sharing one IP subnet) with complete transparency regarding TCP/IP, site-independent CPE configuration and with dynamic stateless tunnels to optimally forward unicast traffic based on routing and policy per VPLS. VPLS with different Identifiers can use overlapping IP subnets. With the method of the present invention, a centralized server or a list of CPE devices configured for each VPN is not required.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a scalable and server-less solution to build Virtual Private LAN Segments (VPLS).
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a Multicast-Enabled Address Resolution Protocol (ME-ARP). This invention allows the building of independent IP based Virtual Private LAN segments (VPLS) over a multicast enabled IP backbone using stateless tunnels and optimal VPLS traffic forwarding. Each VPLS has an associated IP subnet which is independent from other VPLS or the underlying IP backbone itself. Each Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device needs only to be configured with a VPLS identifier and its serving IP subnet per VPLS designated interface. In addition, each end station connected to a Physical LAN Segment (PLS) does not need to be modified in order to be a member of the VPLS. No other configuration parameters e.g. list of CPE devices, their logical or physical locations nor their IP addresses are required. The unique invention is ME-ARP (Multicast Enabled Address Resolution Protocol) including the creation of constructed lower layer address based on VPN (Virtual Private Network) Id and tunnel endpoint. Advantages provided by the method of the present invention include:
a) separation of customer IP address space from either the service provider or another customer determined by policy not to be in the same virtual private network (VPN);
b) capability for a remote site to belong to one or more VPN as long as the VPN policy allows. To provide support for IPv4 based applications at this point;
c) transparent or Routed VPN""s (by use of external routers) can be constructed independently or combined with this architecture;
d) due to the use of an underlying IP multicast network to forward VPN broadcast traffic in this solution there is no need to provide address or broadcast servers; and
e) VPN traffic forwarding is achieved via stateless and optionally secured tunnels which are optimally routed using the underlying IP network backbone routing architecture.